Percy Jackson: Prince of The Hunt
by Artemisia-O
Summary: AU. When Sally Jackson dies during labour, Poseidon entrusts his newborn son to his niece hoping that she can care for him regardless of the Ancient Laws. Hopefully all characters are portrayed in a realistic manner. There will be some OOC to fit with the story but it is needed and not unnecessary.
1. Prologue

Prince of The Hunt

Prologue:

Screaming. That is all he could hear as he paced frantically outside the room containing his mortal lover and the only people he could trust with her life. With his secret.

Fear. That is what he felt as he remembered his nephews dream. This wasn't supposed to happen, it was a mistake. All be it a mistake he would cherish for eternity, but a mistake none the less.

Helplessness. Desperation. Just some of the many emotions crossing his face too rapidly for anyone to fully comprehend as he watched, waited to hear his niece and nephew announce the birth of his child. His only child in the last millennia.

Silence. Only broken by the cries of a newborn baby announcing its presence to the world. Now he could relax somewhat as he ran through the doors no longer caring if he was not permitted. It was his domain and he would do what he pleases. Especially in regards to his child, Ancient Laws be damned.

Despair. It overtakes the happiness in a heartbeat as he watches the emotionally and physically broken woman on the bed. He can only watch on helplessly as she takes the precious bundle from his niece's protective hold, as she weakly runs her trembling hand over the face committing it to memory.

"It is a boy my Lord, our little Perseus." She whispers quietly as if afraid of breaking the young child with her rasping voice.

He didn't understand then and he assumes he never will as to why she was naming their son after a child of his younger brother, but he would honour it. Honour it without question as she had honoured him in the past few months. Desperately he looked towards his nephew as her breathing slowed but he knew it was hopeless. His nephews' dreams were never wrong and her death was already written, already set in stone and nothing could change the will of the Fates. Not even him.

"Please my Lord, I know the laws forbid it but please watch over him. Make sure he is safe and with the knowledge that his family, his father care for him. Swear it to me my Lord so I can pass knowing he will be protected." How she had the ability to think coherently he did not know but he was too shocked at the sudden turn of events to feel indignant that she would feel he would not take care of his own son.

"I swear it on the River Styx my love that he will be cared for, that he will know the love his father and mother have for him. That he will grow up knowing who you are and the impact you have had on my heart. I swear this to you my love." He stated with as much passion as he could muster in his current emotional state, only to be rewarded with the last smile on her face as death finally took hold of her soul.

He watched blankly as his niece took hold of his son, lost in the memories of the past few months. Finally his reverie was broken by the concerned look of the silvery yellow eyes housed by his niece as she handed him his new born child. His son Perseus.

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Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians :(

AN: This is my first published story for Percy Jackson, I'm not entirely too sure where its going but bare with me. The prologue is a bit short but hopefully if you like it the following chapters will be a bit longer. Thanks :)


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

He cradled his son close to his chest as he took in the expressions of the two others occupying the room. He knew what needed to be done, but he prayed that she would agree, that she would at least listen to his reasoning. He couldn't raise his son in his domain, not only would he anger his wife and son but there were many enemies of his that would take advantage of a new Prince of the Seas. He would not endanger his people or more importantly his son. He could not risk placing him in the mortal would, his scent would be too overpowering and the mortals would not understand the severity of the monsters that would chase his son as he grew older. In his eyes there was only one option, his son would need a mother figure in his life however his child was male, the epitome of everything she despised but he was only a few hours old and could not have yet earned her displeasure. He had sworn that he would protect his son as best he could and this was the first step in fulfilling that oath.

Realising that the seas were reflecting his inner turmoil he snapped out of his thoughts to see that his nephew had removed his mortal lover from the room and cleared any evidence of the birth of his child. Knowing that his nephew would have ensured an appropriate send off for his lover he continued to focus his attention on his son who had fallen asleep in his arms. The seas were churning around the surrounding palace walls, acknowledging the presence of a new child of the sea and he belatedly realised that it was only a matter of time before his wife and son knew of his birth.

"Artemis my dearest niece, I am in need of your help." He began as he turned to look into the unnerving silvery yellow eyes of his niece. Taking a deep breath he continued, "I am unable to raise young Perseus in Atlantis, I will not endanger him or my people if the knowledge of his existence was to appear to my enemies of old." He watched closely to see if there was any sign of emotion on her stoic face, anything that would give away her current thoughts, but none appeared so he continued with his train of thought. Thanking all that he knew that she was allowing him to continue.

"I know that it goes against everything you believe but I am asking, I am begging you to look after my son, teach him our ways. In essence raise him as your own son." Raising his hand to cut off what she was about to say he continued, "I will always watch over him and I will be there for him as he grows but I cannot raise him here, please I am begging you to understand." He finished turning his pleading eyes from her face back to his son as he began to stir.

Artemis watched him closely as he held his son for dear life and she knew that she would heed his request, if only to honour and thank him for taking care of her foolish brother when he had displeased their father and taking care of her when her own father would not. It had nothing to do with the fact that the young child of the seas had managed to worm his way into her heart within minutes of his birth. Not many knew that despite having taken an oath to remain a maiden the one thing Artemis wanted above all else was a child of her own, her hunters could only substitute so much in her life and now this was her chance. Her uncle had given her permission to raise this child as her own and that is what he should do. He would in essence be a child of the sea and moon, the only child of the moon.

"Uncle, I would be honoured to help raise your son as my own, he shall be a child of the moon in all but blood. I promise you that I will raise him to the best of my ability and I shall teach him all that I know" she stated softly, finally adding on with a small smile on her face "I shall also raise him to be the perfect gentleman".

He watched on in shock as the hand she had placed over his child's chest began to glow lighting up his precious bundle in a silvery light. He looked on as his sleeping son was the first and probably only male to receive the blessing of Artemis, but he knew deep down it was much more than a blessing. Artemis had claimed his son as her child, as her own son. For all intents and purposes Perseus was no longer the demi-god child of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, but the demi-god child of Poseidon and Artemis.

Apollo looked on in wonder as his sister took her new son into her arms and realised that his dreams were fast becoming true. He knew that the child currently held by his sister would play a big part in the future of Olympus and knew that he would need to be trained appropriately. He trusted in his sister and uncle to train him well, but he knew his uncle was limited by the Ancient Laws, however as he continued to ponder this issue he realised there was nothing in the Ancient Laws that would stop him from helping. He belatedly realised it was probably why Artemis was able to raise Perseus without invoking the wrath of the Fates.

"Uncle, I would like to help train Perseus when he is older. There is much I can teach him that he will need in the future, aspects of my domains which differ from that of Artemis's." Both he and Artemis looked on in shock at Apollo for he was uncharacteristically serious.

Poseidon knew that this is what he would need, his son was of the sea and would cause much chaos in the future of that he was sure, but to have two other Olympians on his side hours after his son's birth he knew he was lucky. He knew his son would have a chance to survive in this world. For that he was thankful as he looked towards Apollo gratitude shining from his sea green eyes. Apollo knew that no words were needed as he nodded his ascent and then vanished from Atlantis leaving his sister and Uncle with their new child.

It was as Apollo vanished that Poseidon approached his niece and son. He watched as his son began to open his now mixed sea-green and silvery yellow eyes and take in his surroundings. As he watched he felt hope surge through his body. His son would survive, he would make sure of that.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

He reached out to take Perseus from Artemis' hold unsure when he would next be able to hold his son, he knew he didn't have long as the fish surrounding the outside of the palace walls were already alerting him about the return of his wife and son but he wasn't yet ready to relinquish hold of his newborn.

As if understanding his thoughts Artemis began to speak, "Uncle I know you wish to spend time with Perseus but your wife and son have returned, we can both feel their presence. You know they will not take kindly to a new child of the seas. It is time for us to leave." She knew she was interrupting a precious moment but she now feared for the child who in the space of a few hours had managed to worm his way into her heart. It went unspoken that he would be able to visit his son in the hunt, especially as he would need to be trained with his abilities over water.

He knew it was time, with a final kiss placed upon the brow of his new born child he reluctantly handed him into Artemis's protective arms. "Be careful my son, know that you are a true child of the sea and I shall be watching over you, always". With this final statement he vanished in a torrent of water heading towards the throne room to delay his wife and son from the inevitable.

Artemis waited until Perseus had closed his eyes before revealing her divine form and flashing away from Atlantis, to her own campsite with the hunters. She was unsure how they would feel about this new addition to the hunt, already she found herself caring for the young child. It was her one shot at being a parent and she was not going to waste this opportunity. She made her way into the campsite, just glad that her meeting with Poseidon had been so abrupt that she hadn't had the chance to drop the hunters off at camp; it wouldn't do for Dionysus, Chiron or any of the campers to see her child before he was able to protect himself. She finally found the hunters seated around the fire in the middle of the campsite and without realising drew in a breath awaiting the onslaught that was bound to occur.

Zoe Nightshade, daughter of Atlas and Pleione, former Hesperide and current Lieutenant of Artemis was the first to notice her mistress entering the campsite; this wasn't unusual as although the hunters were immortal they were still unable to look at her divine form. From the outside Artemis looked relaxed; Zoe however had been with her mistress for over 2000 years and was able to sense her unease immediately as she walked towards them holding a small bundle in her arms. This is what intrigued Zoe, her mistress was a maiden goddess and would therefore not sire a child and despite the fact that she usually appeared in her twelve year old form she would still not allow a mere baby to enter the hunt, but she would withhold judgement she knew her mistress, her friend, had her reasons and she would wait to hear them. However some of the newer huntresses would not be so easily placated and as soon as they realised Lady Artemis was carrying a child all Hades would break loose.

Finally Artemis approached the huntresses and cleared her throat to gain their attention; this was the one shot she had to explain to them. She knew they would not argue against her due to her status as a Goddess and their Lady but she wanted her son to grow up loved and find a family within the hunt so she needed to ensure the huntresses understood.

"Before you jump to conclusions allow me to explain where I have been the last few days, however you must understand that the information I am giving to you must be kept within the hunt and if I find that any of you have given this information to another of your own free will you shall find yourself out of the hunt and stripped of your immortality. Am I understood?" Her voice was cold and unlike how she would normally address her huntresses but she needed them to understand the severity of the situation, after seeing their nodding heads she calmed herself down and cut to the chase of the conversation, she was tired and she needed to put her son down to rest in her tent.

"Despite the oath taken between my father and his brothers, my Uncle has sired a child, a son. Alongside my brother I have been in Atlantis helping my Uncle's mortal lover deliver the child as my uncle trusted no others with their safety. It was during the labour that the mother of his child suffered from some complications and passed on but not before making my Uncle swear an oath to ensure her son will be safe." Here she paused for a breath before continuing as her Perseus began to shift in her arms.

"As it is well known of Amphitrite's and Triton's dislike of all demi-god children, Poseidon has asked me to raise his son as my own as he cannot do so" She knew the huntresses would not be happy but she did not expect them to be quite as vocal, yes she knew sometimes her own prejudice of men got in the way but Perseus was a mere child, he was only a few hours old and had yet to complete any act to earn the displeasure. She held a hand up in the air and called for silence before they awoke him and continued "I have blessed him as my own and is therefore my son in all but blood and he will be treated as such. I know we hold great dislike for men but Perseus is my son and he will be treated as family and think about this: if he is raised amongst us he will be raised to become opposite of all that we abhor." She finished this with a small smile on her face as she took in the expressions of her companions.

She knew many of them if not all would not accept a male in the hunt and that it would take them a while to warm towards Perseus, she was just thankful that he was just a baby and could hopefully work the miracle of working his way into their hearts. She knew what had to be said next and she hoped that none would take her offer but it had to be done, many of her huntresses had genuine reasons to hate men and she would not make them feel uncomfortable, they were as much her family as her twin brother Apollo.

"If any of you are uncomfortable with this and have knowledge that you will never accept my son then please let me know and I will allow you to leave the hunt, but I ask even if you do take this option that you not mention this to anyone especially any demi-god children you may come across. I do not wish to see my son harmed, especially when he is unable to protect himself." As she finished speaking she looked at each of the huntresses individually and as none of them spoke up she released the breath she had unintentionally held.

"I will leave you now to finish your dinner and talk amongst yourselves, I know it is a lot of unexpected information and I shall be in my tent if you are in dire need of me." Without looking at any of the huntresses she left for her tent and to settle her son in for the night.

As soon as Artemis had left her son all chaos broke loose in the campsite as many of the huntresses began conversations and spoke over one another. It was clear many had thought their mistress had finally succumbed to the same madness that ran between the Olympians but for others it was a chance for them to have some normalcy. Many of the huntresses had younger brothers before they joined the hunt and despite hating all men remembered the fond memories they had with their siblings. This was a chance to re-live those and knowing Artemis would never have a child she would surely bestow the same blessing on her son as the huntresses had when he was older meaning they would have a brother for life.

Whilst chaos had descended on the group Zoe quietly slipped out after nodding to Phoebe (one of the eldest huntresses) and followed the path leading towards Artemis's tent. She knew Artemis was distressed and would need confirmation that she was doing the right thing despite was she herself thought. When finally reaching the tent she walked in without announcing herself as she was accustomed to doing over the years and watched her mistress place her son in the crib she had most likely willed into appearance. After covering him with a blanket of rabbit hide she sat down on the floor near the fireplace motioning for Zoe to join her.

"My Lady, although I and many of the other huntresses are not happy with allowing a male into the hunt we shall stand by your side and honour your decision as we have always done. We shall help you raise and train him to become who he is meant to be. I know you would not have gone into this blindly and I am sure that when the shock has worn off the others will realise this as well." She knew how Artemis would be feeling and hoped this would alleviate some of her worries.

"Thank you Zoe, I know this is unusual, but Perseus will have a great destiny of that I am sure, and after seeing the love my Uncle had for him I will not allow him to come into this world blind. He will be trained and I will ensure he survives." Artemis finished this looking towards her huntress, hoping this would help her understand her reasoning and stop the questions she knew Zoe would ask. With one final nod towards her mistress Zoe dismissed herself back to the campfire to ensure all her sisters would find their tents as the hunt had changed and she was unsure of what tomorrow would bring.

After Zoe had left Artemis lost herself in thought of her last conversation, she knew there were many other reasons she wanted to raise Perseus, her Uncle had always been more like a father to her and Apollo, as her being their fathers favourite like many believed was far from the truth. Furthermore she was selfish, and she was afraid to admit it as if she would seem less in her lieutenant's eyes, but she had seen many of the other Gods and Goddesses with their children immortal and demi-god alike and seen the love, affection and pride they held for them, even if they were unable to show them due to the Ancient Laws. She had always wanted a child of her own but her Oath forbade it and with her Uncle's help she had discovered a way around it. As the Goddess of the hunt she was given more freedom with the Ancient Laws and therefore would not be punished for raising a demi-god child, especially as it was a child she had not sired. She would make the most of this opportunity as it was the only one she had, and if she seemed selfish then so be it for she promised to herself then that she would train her son well.

She would ensure he survived.

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A.N: Updates will be around once a week hopefully, I've got a lot of uni assignments and exams approaching soon. I'm going to take this slow so there will be Percy's life in detail as he grows up with the hunt and trains his powers before heading into following the books loosely with his quests etc. I hope you enjoy this new chapter and if there is any mistakes please let me know. Thanks :)

Also want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has reviewed the chapters, followed and favourited my story. Thank you, I really appreciate it :)


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

There were many benefits to being the Goddess of the hunt. One of those was that she rarely had to split herself to carry out her duties as she was not needed on Olympus unless for meetings and the solstice. This meant that she was altogether one of the stronger Olympians as she did not have to separate her powers from her body as much as the others. As well as this her huntresses were able to drive her moon chariot when she was occupied and therefore her duties as Goddess of the moon could also be carried out whilst she caught up on much needed sleep and watched over her new child.

It felt like mere minutes had passed when she was awoken by the cries of her son announcing that he was unhappy so she grudgingly removed herself from the warmth of her bed and headed towards the sound. She knew to cherish the first few years of her son's life, now that she had blessed him and he was as much her son as Poseidon's his scent would be even more overpowering, she remained thankful though that her huntresses would be able to handle any monsters until her son was able to protect himself.

As she approached the crib she had created, the cries turned into quiet whimpers as he watched her approach curiously. Carefully picking the child up from the crib she realised that he must be hungry and therefore willed a bottle of milk already at the correct temperature into existence and began to feed him. As she was watched in fascination both Zoe and Phoebe had appeared in her tent with their bows drawn and arrows notched in preparation before belatedly realising that the cries they had heard had come from the new addition to the hunt and not a monster. Artemis chuckled as she watched her huntresses hurriedly apologise before approaching her slowly so as not to scare the child.

It took her by complete shock when she heard Phoebe's (her most vocal man hating huntress) quiet request to hold her son as he fed, but as she could see no malice in Phoebe's eyes she handed the child over but kept a watchful eye over the pair as she turned to conversations with her lieutenant.

"Uncle Poseidon has been given permission to enter the hunt so he can spend time with his son as he grows and will hopefully send trainers to help Perseus with his powers over water when he is older. Also as much as the huntresses dislike him, Apollo will also be stopping by as to train Perseus in certain aspects of his domain. I know he has not been blessed by my brother and I am sure he will not be blessed by him due to the amount of power his demi-god body already holds. Plus I do not want him to hold the blessings of two Olympians with him being a child of my uncle already; I am unsure what the others would do if he possessed that much power." Artemis informed her huntress and ensured she knew to inform the other huntresses so they would not be surprised to see the two Gods and somehow manage to offend Poseidon especially by shooting at him. She held no qualms about them shooting her brother as they mostly did it in jest. Many had spent decades with him popping in and out of the hunt and thus were used to his comments so knew not to take him seriously as he would never act on them due to the love and respect he held for his sister.

"I will inform them during training today. Many of the huntresses would like to see your son today as you have not officially introduced him and I think that would be a good start in securing him as a member of the hunt. As well as this I have arranged for some of the hunters to purchase the materials needed to care for a child of his age, and for the foreseeable future. They were going to depart after breakfast." Zoe stated calmly as ever the practical one and Artemis knew she was correct, despite the fact that she was a Goddess and could will anything they needed into existence bar a few items when she would be summoned to Olympus or gods forbid a solo hunt whilst Perseus was still young her huntresses would need the necessities to care for him. It surprised her how well Zoe had taken this but she knew not to question it and just accept the fact that Zoe would follow her decisions unquestionably.

"Thank you Zoe, I believe the others will be up and having breakfast now so let us go and introduce young Perseus to them." She approached Phoebe who had become enraptured with the young child and had missed the entire conversation between her sister and mistress and thus was shocked to see the child taken out of her grasp. It took all of her restraint not to pull a weapon out to confront the would be attacker as she realised that it was her mistress and sister, who were looking at her amused.

As an amused Artemis left the tent chuckling to herself, Zoe turned towards her sister "It looks as though you have become attached to the child, after yesterdays comments I thought you would be the most difficult to persuade". She appraised the daughter of Ares as she spoke but was only awarded with a small smile as they both departed the tent. Zoe knew what this meant, in the span of half an hour the child had managed to thaw out Phoebe's heart therefore it was only a matter of time before he did the same with the other huntresses.

They quickly approached the centre of camp where the huntresses were gathered and eating breakfast, an unusual silence amidst them as many were still overcoming the shock of seeing their mistress with a child, a male child none the less. They were even more shocked to see Artemis hand her child over to Phoebe once both girls had reached her. Both Zoe and Phoebe knew what she was doing, she was making a statement and showing her other huntresses that even the most cold hearted of them had accepted her child. Her son.

It was after this she began to speak, "Good morning girls, I hope you slept well." She didn't wait for an answer but continued to speak, "It was pointed out to me that I never officially introduced you to my son, Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon and adopted son of Artemis."

She would have loved to place her symbol over his head as she had seen many of the other Olympians do during claiming however it would alert her fellow Gods to his presence before she was ready and so she would wait until the time is right. She had much to discuss with Poseidon regarding his claiming when he finally reached the age to go to camp, she knew her son would have an important role to play in the future and therefore would need allies within camp no matter how much she wanted to keep him in the hunt, but now was not the time for such thoughts she would worry closer to the time.

As her huntresses looked over to Phoebe they were rewarded with the gurgling sounds of a happy child as he looked at his surroundings in curiosity however none of them missed the smile that graced their mistresses' face at hearing the sound. It was then they realised the aura surrounding their mistress had changed, she seemed more relaxed and much happier since she had returned to camp with the child. Despite the fact that they did not like males they would come to accept him within the hunt, never had they seen their mistress like this in their years of service. A quick glance between them occurred as they all silently vowed to protect Perseus with their lives, he meant a lot to their mistress and they would ensure no harm came to him.

Artemis watched her son where he was carefully sat in the arms of Phoebe completely oblivious to the exchanges going on between her huntresses or the silent vow they had made, but she could sense the shift in atmosphere of the hunt. No longer did it feel as though a heavy cloud loomed over them but a warm light cascading over the hunt. The hunt had returned to normal and she was thankful, she did not care what had caused this, just thankful.

She was broken out of her thoughts by Phoebe handing a sleeping Perseus back to her and informing that the huntresses would be leaving her alone to spend some time with her son, as they carried out their daily routines. Thanking her with a smile Artemis headed to the nearby lake so both herself and Perseus could relax, although her plan was thwarted by the appearance of both Poseidon and Apollo, each wearing grim expressions on their faces as they looked towards the slumbering child in her arms.

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A.N. After the next chapter I've decided to skip until he is around 4 or 5ish so that we can get into the training etc. As I think the story would be too boring otherwise. Tell me what you think about this because if enough of you want chapters for the missing years then I will include it.

Thanks again to everyone who has read the story and a special thank you to those who have favourited, followed and reviewed :)


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

As Artemis continued to watch her brother and uncle stare at the child in her arms a feeling of dread coursed through her. There could only be a few reasons they would both be here and none bode well for her or the child. She allowed Poseidon to hold his son as her mind continued to wonder, lost in thought. She was so consumed that she did not realise her brother taking hold of her and bringing her close to his body trying to provide a small amount of comfort.

"Artemis, Amphitrite has discovered the birth of my son." Began Poseidon solemnly, he knew what this meant but he did not understand her request. He would head it though; he knew it was the only way to protect his son.

"How Uncle? We were out of the palace before she would be able to sense his presence."

Artemis began to sink further and further into her brother's body as she finished speaking. It was moments like this that he cherished. Artemis loved her brother dearly however they both had fronts to portray in Olympus and with that came the act of hating her brother and everything that he did, only their uncle knew how deep their connection was.

"It was not the ability to sense his presence that alerted her but something that we simply overlooked." At the look of confusion on both their faces he continued, "Many of my court were able to sense a new child of the sea. It has been many a millennia since one has been born and they were overjoyed. We did not take into account how overjoyed they would be and thus Amphitrite and Triton discovered him through idle gossip and chitchat."

By the end of the conversation Poseidon was not happy. He cared deeply for his people but this was unacceptable, many had lived long enough to know how his wife and son hated any demi-god child of his. He never had many children but when he did, he was fiercely protective of them. He could sense the power in Perseus, before it was enhanced by that of Artemis' blessing, he was a true child of the sea and now he was in danger. From his own wife and son none the less.

"How much danger is he in? Have they alerted the other Olympians? Will they attack him if he goes near a body of water? Has Amphitrite or Triton spoken to you?" The onslaught of questions from Artemis had her uncle reeling and trying to compose himself. He knew he was treading in dangerous water so to speak. Artemis was surprisingly very protective of the child despite her man hating tendencies and he knew now that he had chosen right. She would protect him with her life if need be. He now fully accepted and acknowledged that Artemis would be his son's mother figure and therefore realised Perseus was no longer his son but their son.

"Artemis my dear niece, Amphitrite has requested to meet with our son. I do not understand her request and I do not know what convoluted plan she has thought up but I will not leave him unprotected. I know you would demand to come but I have also asked for Apollo to join us. Amphitrite does not know but I would rather have two other Olympians there. Many mermen answer to my wife and my wife alone and with Triton there I do not want to be unprepared for the worst." He spoke quietly as not to awake the child who had begun shifting at the frantic and raised tones from Artemis previous outburst.

Artemis looked towards her brother to see if he would truly be there and she received a slight nod. "Artemis he is my only true nephew, and I shall see him protected and safe. No harm shall ever come to him when I am with him." For once Apollo was uncharacteristically serious and she knew he would take his responsibility seriously. Despite his laid back nature Apollo was fiercely protective of those who earned it.

"Fine, let us leave we shall not be long so I see no need to alert the huntresses. The sooner we reach Atlantis the sooner we can leave."

They waited for Poseidon to take his leave as he disappeared in a torrent of water, before looking at each other and having a silent conversation. It went unsaid that they would not hesitate to attack Amphitrite and Triton if they dared to hurt her adopted son. With that completed they both disappeared in contrasting flashes of silver and gold to the underwater realm of Atlantis.

They appeared outside of the throne room doors as a sign of respect. Despite being two of the only gods to have unlimited access to Atlantis they would never directly flash into their uncle's throne room. Normally they would wait until they were announced however they did not want to leave there uncle with his wife and son any longer than necessary and therefore ignored the questioning looks of the guards and quickly strode in.

They were confused when they saw their uncle alone in the throne room but at his look they remained silent and moved to stand behind him. It wasn't long before two small torrents of water appeared before them, signalling the entrance of Lady Amphitrite, Queen of the Seas, and Triton Herald of the Sea. As they took in the sight of the child in Poseidon's arms they were unable to hide the emotions crossing their faces. Disgust, hatred and anger were some that the three other occupants were able to decipher, however one emotion was most prominent before emotionless masks formed on both their faces.

Fear. This was the emotion that crossed their faces as they took in the two other Olympians standing slightly behind their father but close enough to intervene and protect the child if necessary.

"My Lord, I see that the rumours are true. There is a new _child_ of the seas." Amphitrite's voice was bitter as she spat the word 'child' out. Her face had taken on a rather unattractive scowl however it soon smoothed out as she unexpectedly asked "May I hold him?"

This one question had taken every one in the room aback. Triton looked betrayed that his mother wanted to hold the child of his father's affair. Poseidon, Artemis and Apollo each looked on in wariness as they looked for any signs of ill intent in Amphitrite. Knowing this was the one chance to gain Amphitrite on their side at least until they were ready to reveal Perseus, Artemis took him from Poseidon's arms ignoring the spluttering protests and handed him to Amphitrite. She did not back completely away instead moving to the side so she was still close enough and also allowing her uncle and brother clear view of her and the child.

Perseus awakened as he was handed to his step-mother and slowly opened his eyes blinking as he took in his new surroundings. As his eyes opened fully Amphitrite gasped and turned to look at both Poseidon and Artemis. It was a known fact amongst the gods that any child of Poseidon resembled him greatly. Most gaining his unruly black hair, tanned skin and similar green eyes that reminded them of the sea. Perseus was no different. He already had small tufts of black hair on his head however it was the eyes that were different. No longer were they solely a vivid sea green, but they now held flecks of bright silver, similar to that of the moon.

It was Artemis who answered her unspoken question, "His eyes are quite something aren't they?" Without waiting for a response she continued to speak, "Perseus is my adopted son."

That is all she said to explain the situation but it was enough as both Amphitrite and Triton looked on in shock. She knew Poseidon would explain to them later when both her and Apollo left but she knew from the look on Amphitrite's face that she would not use this against her husband. She would hold her peace. For now.

Shortly after this, Artemis and Apollo appeared back beside the lake. Apollo gently handed Perseus back to Artemis as he disappeared in a flash of gold to continue his duties. As Artemis walked back to their current campsite she could not help but release a sigh. One hurdle had now been overcome as Amphitrite and Triton had sworn to keep Perseus a secret until they were ready to reveal him. She felt like they were treating him as a weapon but she knew it was in his best interest. Perseus would need proper training before he was to face the Olympian council. As she finally reached the centre of camp she swore to herself that she would make sure he received it.

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A.N. This was a quick update because I'm trying to avoid doing my uni assignments :P. Right the next chapter will either continue with the huntresses raising him or skipping till he's about 5 and training. So if you guys can still review or let me know what you want. Some have already said skip so just want to know what you're thinking.

Thank you for the reviews they have been amazing and I am glad you are enjoying the story. Hopefully you like this chapter :)


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Five years had passed since the adopted son of Artemis had joined the hunt and for many of the huntresses it was a blessing as they were no longer woken by the cries of the young child and more importantly they would soon be able to move from their current campsite. Many demi-goddesses had joined the hunt from Camp Half Blood to travel around the country and not entirely because of their bad experiences with the opposite gender therefore the past five years had been an unwelcome change. Due to the non-movement of the camp there had been no new additions to the hunt which Artemis could only feel relieved about. She loved her huntresses and she would do anything within her power to help a young maiden in trouble however she knew any new huntresses would not take kindly to her son, despite his age and innocence. She knew in time this would become an issue as the council would begin to question the lack of new huntresses but she would cross that bridge when it arrived.

Artemis turned to watch her son as he followed Zoe around the campsite as she carried out her daily duties. She knew what Perseus wanted but she was finding it far more amusing watching him trail behind Zoe with the look of a wounded puppy. Out of all the huntresses Perseus had taken to Zoe the most therefore she couldn't help but laugh as Zoe turned to face her in mock annoyance. Perseus had become an adorable toddler, his midnight black hair curled to just past his ears and sat in an unruly mess, his large doe sea-green and silver eyes were incredibly bright and shone as though the moonlight was reflecting off the sea. He was tall for his age but not overly so and his cheeks held some remaining baby fat which added to his overall appearance. He was a handsome child and was eerily identical to his father and as he grew she was certain the similarities would too.

_Apollo appeared in front of her as she changed Perseus into more comfortable clothing as his were now covered in cake after his birthday celebrations. Her son had now turned 1 and would soon be walking around the campsite. She saw him watching her quietly as she carried on what she was doing, once she had finished she turned to face him. As soon as Perseus recognised his uncle he immediately held out his arms to be held. The smile that appeared on Apollo's face was as bright as the sun and she was sure his emotions would be reflected in his realm. _

_"Father has requested you on Olympus. I do not know why, he just asked me to tell you to go immediately." He spoke softly so as not to disturb the child in his arms. When he looked towards Artemis he saw the fear in her eyes, as she watched her son._

_"He doesn't know, otherwise he would have summoned the entire council, or had Hermes come and get you. I'm sure he just has something for you to hunt" He spoke quickly, cutting off any questions she had before continuing "You do not need to ask, I haven't been able to spend any time with my nephew and yes I will remain inside the tent so as not to annoy the huntresses. They won't even know I'm here. Promise." He looked towards her with a soft smile._

_Since Perseus had been born and been adopted by herself, she was amazed at the changes in Apollo. They hadn't been as close since they had both joined the Olympian council and it was nice to share that bond with her twin again. It was glaringly obvious that they were stronger together, and now that they had both grown up a little and stopped the petty arguments there domains had also strengthened. That is not to say that Apollo still didn't annoy her. She quickly thanked him and flashed out the room as Apollo covered his nephew's eyes. _

She watched as Zoe walked towards her subtly leading Perseus the mock annoyance now replaced with a tender smile that was made only for him. As Zoe neared she saw Perseus dart out from behind and run straight towards her, barrelling into her legs.

"Mummy, you're here." He mumbled into her legs.

She had disappeared this morning for a meeting on Olympus and so wasn't there when he woke up but it warmed her heart that Perseus held so much love for her. She looked down towards him and ruffled his hair before bending down to bring him closer to her body, hugging him for all she was worth.

"Of course sweetheart, mummy had a meeting on Olympus this morning but Zoe took good care of you didn't she?" She whispered quietly into his hair.

She felt him nodding his head against her shoulder and couldn't help the smile that crossed her face, which was matched by the smile on Zoe's. As she looked more closely at her lieutenant she knew it was time, Perseus had turned 5 a month ago and she had promised Poseidon. However that wasn't all, she couldn't put it off any longer. Perseus needed to start his training.

_A flash of silver appeared in the throne room signifying Artemis's arrival. She didn't bow to her father, only slightly inclining her head in his direction. She held no respect for him. Not after what he had put Apollo through in the past. It may have not been obvious before but she cared for her brother deeply and therefore held deep resentment for her father due to the numerous times he had unfairly punished Apollo. _

_Lord Zeus looked down in disdain towards his daughter. He knew the only person she would willingly bow to would be his elder brother and it hurt, but he was too proud to try and make amends. Many of the other Olympians and Minor Gods and Goddesses thought that he was rather unobservant due to his arrogance but even he could clearly see there were many changes in his otherwise aloof and cold hearted daughter. He hoped by giving her this hunt he could find out what had caused those changes. He knew deep down that she couldn't have broken her oath; Apollo would never allow anyone near his sister unless he himself found them worthy. _

_"Daughter, there is a large gathering of monsters approaching camp half blood. I want you to go and hunt them down without your huntresses as I know you are more than capable." He looked closely at his daughter but when he realised her face would betray no emotions he continued "You are not to return to your huntresses or Olympus until you have completed this mission. Am I understood?" _

_Artemis looked towards her father, she could sense he was serious and that no amount of arguing would change his mind but inside her heart was breaking. She wouldn't see Perseus until this mission had been completed and she couldn't risk his safety by sending a message through Iris or Hermes. She knew that she was wasting precious time in the throne room so nodding her ascent she disappeared in a flash of silver to where she knew the monsters were located. _

She pulled away from her son once they had finished their silent conversation. She knew that her fellow Olympians were noticing a change in her behaviour. Not only did she no longer argue as often with Apollo but her patience had grown in leaps and bounds and was therefore able to ignore the rest of siblings' constant jibes. Perseus would need to be prepared and the earlier they started the better.

"Perseus remember how I promised that we would begin training after your fifth birthday, well we are going to begin today, starting with Archery."

She knew this is where he would need the most training as most children of Poseidon were awful with a bow however she hoped that it wouldn't be too bad due to her blessing. Perseus had yet to show any of the powers he gained from her apart from a silver glow when in the moonlight but as she had never had any demigod children before thus she did not know what to expect. Before she could even start leading him to the training area Perseus had let out a massive cheer, grabbed both hers and Zoe's hands and pulled them towards it. She couldn't help but let out a carefree laugh as she saw the happiness in her son's expression.

As they reached the training area Zoe left to find a training bow suitable for his age and strength, whilst Artemis began to explain the ground rules to her son. She knew he wouldn't heed them straight away, he was as unrestrained as the sea but she would at least make sure he knew. Zoe quickly returned after having cleared out the training area of the few training huntresses, not only would Perseus feel pressured with them watching but if he did not gain any benefit from Artemis' blessing then she didn't want them getting injured.

_It had taken her four days to finally dispose of all the monsters gathering near Camp Half Blood. As she disappeared from the carnage she couldn't help but be thankful that neither Dionysus or Chiron had sent the campers to aid her, if they even knew about the gathering. Not only would they b in the way it would have attracted more due to their scent. She appeared in the throne room of Olympus to find her Uncle and Father in the middle of an argument however they both abruptly stopped to look towards her._

_ "The monsters have been disposed of now if there is nothing else you need from me I will be heading back to my huntresses. No doubt they will be wondering where I am." Without waiting for a response she bowed to her uncle and disappeared in a flash of silver. She knew her huntresses wouldn't be that worried but she wanted to see her son._

_After her and Apollo had begun to spend more time together they realised that their bond as twins had strengthened also and therefore it took little energy for them to communicate with each other. She knew Apollo had stayed with the huntresses to help protect them and to also spend some time with his nephew. _

_She had finally returned to camp and was walking towards the campsite when she saw Apollo sitting with her huntresses and holding her son. _

_"Mama" _

The first training session didn't involve too much, as Perseus had not yet built up enough muscle to fully pull back the bow string. His first lesson was based on how to properly care for his weapons, she knew that Poseidon would have a sword already ready for him and she had already asked the Cyclopes' in the forges in Atlantis for a bow similar to that of her huntresses be made for him as she couldn't ask Hephaestus. Perseus didn't seem too disheartened at the fact he didn't get to shoot any arrows because he was told that the bow Zoe had given him would be his very own bow.

"Perseus, if you can show me tomorrow that you listened to my instructions and can look after it, we will begin some target practice tomorrow." Artemis knew this was the only way Perseus would learn, he listened to her instructions but he was still a child. A child with ADHD and therefore she hoped this method of teaching would work. He already struggled in his basic education that she and the other huntresses were teaching him, but they were patient and he was still young. She watched in amusement as Perseus yawned and nodded his head sleepily. It was all she would get out of him in his current state and therefore picked him up and took him to her tent so he could take a nap.

_"Perseus did you say something?" She asked as she approached them in shock, which was mirrored on both her brothers and the huntresses' faces. _

_She carefully took him out of Apollo's arms and held him close to her, watching closely as he put a hand gently on her cheek, and with surprising clarity spoke "Mama." She was speechless. She had been gone for four days and was dreading returning not knowing how Perseus would have taken her disappearance, never did she think she would return to this._

_Finally awoken from her thoughts by Apollo bidding her goodbye and walking away from the campfire so he could reveal his divine form and flash to his palace, she looked down to the now sleeping child in her arms and felt her heart swell with love and pride. She had a child. She had a son._

She returned to her tent later that afternoon to see Perseus frowning in concentration as he tried to remember how to clean the bow and ensure it was in pristine condition. As she watched she couldn't help but feel proud, she would always be proud of him no matter what he did, but she was scared. Perseus was only five but showed great prowess in his powers over water and they were yet to find out what powers he would have over her domains. She was scared of making a mistake which could cost Perseus his life. He was her life now and she couldn't bare to lose him. She wouldn't lose him.

_"He said mama." She whispered to herself._

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A.N. I wanted to try something different but not too sure. The italics are flashbacks of his childhood, but the characters aren't thinking about the past. I thought it would be a nice way to get on with his training but have some important childhood points in there e.g. first word, walking etc. Tell me what you think because then I will carry on with the idea if you like it.

Thanks to all those who favourited, followed and reviewed. I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy the chapter.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Panic. That was what she felt as she felt an unknown presence enter the huntress's camp and make its way towards her tent and her slumbering son. She quickly flashed from the campfire into her tent so she would be there to 'welcome' this guest. As she stood protectively over her son, the flap to her tent opened and a shadow enveloped the tent. The salty scent of the sea filled her senses and she marginally relaxed however she did not loosen her grip on her hunting knives.

"Relax my dear niece, I mean neither you nor my son any harm" stated her guest with amusement flashing through his sea green eyes, similar to those of her son.

She released her grip on her weapons and sheathed them flashing a contrite look at her uncle, "Sorry you just caught me off guard and I could not sense your aura".

"I thought it best that Zeus does not know I visit your camp during the night, I would not want him visiting or sending one of his children down to check on you". That was another thing she loved about her uncle, she never referred to Zeus or any of his other children as her father or siblings because he knew how she felt and she appreciated it. Deep down she wished that Poseidon had been both hers and Apollo's father but he was as good as.

Poseidon alongside Apollo had now become a regular face in the huntress's camp; he made sure that he spent as much time with Perseus as possible without forgetting his duties. He was an amazing father to Perseus and for that she was thankful, he needed good male influences in his life before he was sent to Camp Half Blood.

"I received your missive; you have begun to train Perseus in archery and I am sure you will train him with the skills of your other domains. Has he shown any signs of power from your blessing?"

"Not as of yet, I was planning to show him the correct stance and allow him to shoot at some targets tomorrow. Hopefully his archery won't be as abysmal as yours" She finished with a teasing smile.

Poseidon laughed as he inclined his head, agreeing with her statement. "I believe it is time to also start his weapon training and also training with his power over water. Hopefully that will help build his strength and thus make archery easier."

"There is more isn't there, you want him prepared in case his birth is revealed to the others." She watched as he nodded his slightly before continuing "Who were you planning on sending to aid him as it is unlikely you would be able to teach him without alerting your brothers".

"I was thinking Triton, he is one of the best swordsmen in Atlantis and as having lived through the lives of my other demi-god children he is well aware of their limits. Despite the circumstances and how they may affect his power."

"Do you think that wise uncle? Even if Amphitrite has taken an oath and Triton does not interfere, he will not be happy to teach his half-brother".

"I believe he will warm to Perseus given the time, and he will need his family on his side when he arrives at Camp-Half Blood. Triton will teach him." She knew it was the end of the discussion on this topic and she would just have to ensure that Perseus was not too upset by his brother's words and actions when the time came.

"Fine. We must set a schedule for Perseus' training then to ensure he is ready. Not only will he need training in his powers and weaponry but I want to ensure he is both physically and mentally strong enough to cope."

Poseidon agreed and with that they left their son to sleep and began to hash out the finer details of Perseus' training. It was by dawn that they had both agreed upon a schedule that was suitable for him at his current age. He would train with his mother in her domain till midday and then with his brother from mid-afternoon to early evening, allowing him time to relax and spend time with his sisters in between. They didn't want to tire him out too early and they didn't want to hurt him.

Artemis left shortly after allowing Poseidon time alone with their son whilst she set about ensuring that there was food and equipment for the huntress's and that she did not need to send them on a hunt later that morning. As mid-morning approached her excitement mounted as it was her son's first archery lesson, she watched as he sat atop Poseidon's shoulders, his quiver strapped to his back and his bow in hand laughing at something his father had said.

As Poseidon set him down he ran straight to his mother and hugged her before jumping on the spot with excitement. She watched on in amusement as he began talking at a speed to fast to comprehend about his morning with his father. He had only stopped talking when she had threatened not to begin their archery lesson today.

"But mummy you promised and I even took care of my bow. Look" he said whilst simultaneously shoving the bow in her face.

"Ok ok then seeing as you took such good care of the bow let us start the lesson then." She spoke as she led her son towards the targets. She noticed that Poseidon had seated himself underneath one of the surrounding trees, meaning he intended to stay to watch his son's first lesson or maybe just to see if his son inherited his talent with a bow.

They spent the first hour gaining the correct stance and hold on the bow and after announcing that he had finally got the correct grip she handed him a blunt arrow from his quiver. She watched closely as he placed the arrow onto the bow and shuffled his feet into his stance but he was off balance. She moved forward to correct him and once she had repositioned his feet and pushed the bow so it was straight she told him to pull the string back so it was taut. She watched as he struggled to hold the string but once she felt it was tight enough she told him to release the string and she watched as the arrow fell short of the target by a metre or so.

Poseidon looked on in shock as he watched his son surrounded by a dim silver glow as he released the arrow, the blessing or Artemis he thought to himself. He would mention it to her later but he hoped that it would disappear in time, it wouldn't do well for his son to glow every time he wanted to shoot an arrow. He watched the smile on both his niece's and son's face and couldn't help but applaud, which made the smile only grow bigger. He continued watching as his son continued to shoot at the target for a while longer each time the arrow inching closer and closer to the target, with time he would be as good as the huntresses but for now he was doing well for his age. Soon enough it was time for his break and he ran off to spend some time with his sisters before taking a nap so he would be ready for the afternoon.

He watched as Artemis approached and motioned with his head towards her tent signalling he wanted to speak with her in private. They both looked around to ensure neither Perseus or her huntress's were near before flashing away to her tent in a mixture of water and silver light.

"He has done well for his first lesson, but there is a small glow of silver around him as he shoots. Do you know if this will disappear with time." Poseidon began, he had to be quick as he had already spent far too long with his niece.

"I have never blessed a demi-god to hold the same powers as a child of mine would have so I am unsure, I have noticed he has a surrounding silver light at night as if the moon shines off of him. I have a feeling it will only strengthen his powers at night but we shall see. This is all new to me." She stated sensing Poseidon's rush. As she finished she saw him nod his thoughtfully and without another word he disappeared in a torrent of sea water back to Atlantis.

She knew he would watch his son's first swordsmanship lesson with his brother from the sea, as it would allow him to watch but without his aura alerting the Olympians. She was also going to be watching his first lesson, not only to see her son but to ensure Triton did nothing to upset him.

Before long she was walking with Perseus towards the beach which was next to their campsite, as they approached they could see Triton standing there with Poseidon. His face was devoid of emotion but Artemis knew well enough that he was unhappy but would not speak out against his father or in front of him at least. As they neared she watched as Poseidon whispered into Triton's ear causing him to pale before greeting his son and wading into the water allowing it to engulf him as he headed back to Atlantis to watch both his children.

Triton looked out towards the water hoping his father would appear again saying this was a joke and he did not need to spend time with his _brother_. He knew he shouldn't be annoyed at Perseus as it wasn't his fault he had been born but he couldn't help it, it was easier to be annoyed at him because eventually he would die a heroes death whereas he would see his father for eternity. It was this thought that shook him completely, there was no way would Artemis allow her only child to die, even if the child was not birthed by her. Before he could dwell on his thoughts any longer he felt a tug on his hand and looked down to see similar sea-green eyes mixed with flecks of silver looking up at him.

"You look like me. Are you family?" The look of hope on his half-brothers would have even melted Hera's cold heart so he looked away quickly.

However the pointed look from Artemis was no better so he turned towards Perseus "Yes I am Triton, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite so that would make you my little brother I guess."

Perseus was so happy that he did not notice the malice in Triton's words however Artemis had and so had his father apparently due to the sudden appearance of waves in the sea and the slight shaking of the ground under his and only his feet. Before his father could do more Triton turned to look at Perseus and coughed.

"I'm going to teach you swordsmanship the way that the mermen and warriors of Atlantis are taught. By the time I am finished with you, you will be one of the finest warriors in Atlantis and far superior to those at that camp of yours. You are a Prince of the Seas and you will learn to fight like one."

He didn't want to teach Perseus but he was a Prince of the Seas and he would be damned if he let his little brother embarrass him and his family. He insisted to himself that he would teach him to become the finest warrior because of this and not the worry that his brother would get hurt and cause his father's heart to break once again.

At seeing the look of awe on his brother's face he allowed himself a small smile, he had released a small amount of his godly power into his voice to aid his speech knowing that it would gain Perseus' attention. Once Perseus was paying attention he handed him a balanced blunt wooden sword that would be similar to the sword he would receive from their father when he was older.

Triton began to teach his brother the basic grip and footwork before making him repeat them again and again until Perseus had blisters on his hand and was no longer able to stand by himself. It was only the look that he had given Artemis that had stopped her interrupting him, he knew how far to push Perseus he had been alive through the lives of all the offspring of his father's affairs and he knew this would help Perseus in the long run. What hadn't escaped any of their notice was that Perseus did not once complain, he continued to run through the exercises set by his brother and he did so with the same enthusiasm as at the start. It was this that endeared him to his brother, enough for Triton to aid him with his healing.

"Perseus you are a son of the sea and therefore the water will heal and strengthen you. Step into the sea brother and place your hands in the water."

He watched closely as Perseus did as he was told before continuing "I want you to picture the water rising to cover your hands and wounds, and then will it to happen"

He watched proudly (something he would later deny) as Perseus gasped in shock as the water moved up his hands and over his blisters healing them to reveal nothing but smooth and uninjured skin. As he stepped out of the water he felt weakened and had to be caught and held up by his brother.

"The water can provide strength whilst we are in it but it will leave us in the weakened state we were in before brother, it would be wise to remember that. Do not rely on the strength the water can provide, you must learn to rely on your own strength."

He watched Perseus nod sleepily against him before moving some hair out of his face and handing him over to Artemis who held him close against her body.

"I do not trust you enough Triton to not upset him. I know why you feel anger towards him but his birth was not his fault. His birth is what we make of it, do you want to force another sibling into hating you due to your blind rage. I will trust that you know how to train him but I will not be leaving him alone in your presence unless it is absolutely necessary or you prove to me that you will not hurt him intentionally".

Without waiting for a response she flashed away in a silver light to just outside the campsite before walking towards her tent. Whilst she was walking her mind wondered back to her son's first day of training. From what she could tell he had gained some of her skill in archery through her blessing and he was a natural at swordsmanship based on his quick understanding of the footwork and basic grip despite his age.

She laid him down for a nap unsure of what the future would bring but she was finally feeling relief, relief that he would be prepared for the upcoming struggles in his life.

* * *

A.N. I've just finished uni for the year so thought I would gift you this chapter. Its not very good but I hope you like it. I'm going to keep going with his training for a few more chapters and there will be some more huntress's and Percy interaction in the next chapter as that is severely lacking.

Again thanks to everyone who has favourited, followed and more importantly reviewed this story, it is much appreciated.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Artemis walked in to an empty tent, no sign of her son anywhere. By now she was used to this but it still didn't quell the small amount of panic that began to fester in her heart. She looked around the tent for any sign of where he could be but found none until she looked beside his bed. His bow and quiver were missing.

She walked towards the archery range greeting her huntresses as she went and making sure to involve herself in their activities. She realised that since Perseus had joined her in the hunt she had spent little time with some of her newer huntresses and swore to herself that she would fix that. As she approached the archery range she could hear the sounds of joyous laughter coming from her son and some of the huntresses. Using all her skills as a hunter she quietened her footsteps and took a seat hidden by the shadow of one of the trees.

She looked on with a smile on her face as she watched the huntress's help train Perseus in his archery. He had come a long way since his first lesson a few weeks back but he was still far from the prowess and skills shown by his sisters. She watched as every few moments the huntresses would correct his stance or help him take the wind into account, something that Perseus had struggled with in his last lesson.

"Shift your foot to the left a bit Perseus, and straighten your left arm." Stated Phoebe as she watched Perseus do as he told as he waited patiently to shoot at the range.

"Better?" he didn't even look at her as he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration and moved to take an arrow out of his quiver.

"No your other left arm Perseus", Phoebe corrected with a roll of her eyes as she and the other huntress's stifled their laughter.

Percy blushed bright red before straightening the arm holding the bow and loaded his arrow. He waited patiently for the wind to change direction and when he finally found the perfect conditions he released the taut bow string and watched the arrow fly towards the target. In recent weeks Perseus' strength had grown in leaps and bounds and the arrows usually hit the outer white areas on the targets he was aiming at.

Both Artemis and the huntresses watched as the arrow flew towards the target and neither could stop the proud smiles on their faces as the arrow hit the outer blue ring. It wasn't quite near the centre but it was much closer than any of his other attempts. Artemis couldn't help but watch proudly as the huntresses ran towards Perseus who was staring at the target in shock before he let out a tremendous shout of excitement causing the huntresses to laugh.

"Well done Perseus, we will make a hunter out of you yet." Zoe said giving him a genuine smile only reserved for those she considered family.

As the other huntresses were talking to Perseus, Artemis finally approached clapping slowly with a broad smile on her face. She watched on in amusement as they all turned to her slowly with looks of shock which then melted into innocence as they pretended they had not gone against her orders to teach her son archery when she was not around.

"Mummy", Perseus shouted running towards her "Did you see me, I finally hit the target, I finally hit the target." He continued seemingly oblivious to the looks the huntresses were giving him.

"I did my son and I am so proud of you, now why don't you take your sisters to the target on the far side whilst I talk to Zoe and Phoebe" She said whilst chuckling as she took in the look of pride and love in her son's eyes and the look of fear in her long time huntresses. She finally released her son who grabbed the rest of his sisters hands and dragged them towards the other end of the archery range.

"My Lady, we are sorry. We know we went against your orders but Perseus begged us and we wanted to spend some time with him." Zoe began whilst Phoebe nodded her head frantically beside her.

Artemis continued to chuckle as she watched her long time friends uncaring of the discomfort it was causing them.

"I am not annoyed, you can relax. I wanted to say thank you for teaching him and I want you to continue until it is time for his training with Triton. Also I want the both of you to watch over him as he trains with Triton, I will not be able to. I have a meeting on Olympus and then I am going to take your sisters on a hunt. It has been far too long since I have spent any time with them."

Both huntresses nodded and agreed that they would follow her wishes, both feeling happy on the inside that they could spend some time with their little brother. It had taken a while but all the huntresses had grown to love the little boy. Despite the fact that he was male he had wormed his way into their hearts and they all knew that they would lay down their lives for him just as they would their mistress.

Before long Artemis had disappeared off to her meeting on Olympus and Perseus was heading off to his training with Triton, followed closely by both Zoe and Phoebe. As they approached the nearby lake where his training would take place both Zoe and Phoebe noticed Perseus becoming more subdued. Before they could question it the smell of the sea surrounded them as Triton appeared in a small torrent of water.

"Hello little brother, I see you've brought some _friends_." He stated looking towards the two huntresses with disdain, despite the fact that deep down he respected them and their abilities.

"Triton." Both Zoe and Phoebe stated together before Zoe continued to speak "We will just be watching over _our_ brothers training today, do not mind us" She finished as they both walked over to sit underneath the trees near the lake.

"Well brother let us get on with your training" he stated whilst throwing Perseus his wooden training sword and without another word went on the attack.

He raised his sword overhead bringing it swiftly towards Perseus' neck before quickly shifting the movement so it would swipe towards his legs. It wasn't long before Perseus was pushed onto the defence as Triton continued his nonstop onslaught.

Thwack.

Perseus' sword went flying out of his hand as Triton slid his wooden sword to the inside of his right hand and twisted the blade effectively knocking Perseus' out of his hand.

"Good, you are holding yourself in defence much better. Now we are going to go through the basic movements continuously until they feel natural to you."

For the next few hours they went through the basic stances and footwork until Perseus could no longer grip his sword and his feet hurt. As usual Triton finished his session by reminding Perseus to heal himself in the water.

"Triton, when will I begin working on my powers over water?" Perseus asked as he stepped into the water allowing it to heal his wounds and give him the usual short burst of energy. He didn't stand in their long as he didn't want to feel the usual rush of tiredness after his long training session.

"Soon little brother, we will need to begin soon so you are able to use your powers without tiring yourself out." Triton stated before saying his goodbyes and nodding to the huntresses and disappearing into the lake.

"Come on little brother let us get back to the campsite, Lady Artemis might be back from her hunt with our fellow sisters. And if they are not I'm sure we can find something to do" Phoebe stated whilst taking Perseus' hand and leading him back towards the camp.

Neither of the huntresses or the son of Artemis noticed the onyx eyes hidden in the shadows watching them retreat back to their campsite. All of them none the wiser that the shadows had watched the training session and would soon be making an appearance in the young demigods life.

* * *

A.N. I am so sorry this update is late. After finishing my first year at uni I have been traveling and I just haven't been able to get to a computer or even sit down to write an update. However I am back and this update is kind of rubbish and doesn't really make up for the long gap. Hopefully the following ones are better. Again I am sorry.7

Thank you to everyone who has followed, favourited and reviewed whilst I've been away. I promise I will make it up to you.


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